Numerous uniform-type garments are disclosed in the prior art adapted and designed to the needs of users such as nurses, orderlies, operating room personnel and others in the health care field. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,642,576 describes a pocket structure for a nurse's uniform or other garment for receiving scissors and pens in a pocket of a garment in the usual locations for pockets. The pockets in this particular structure receiving a pen or scissors are on the outer pocket and are exposed such that they could catch on various items such as beds, tables and the like which a nurse would encounter in routine duties and thus catching the uniform on something and possibly ripping it. Likewise, the pockets are vertical causing the articles to perhaps fall out of the pocket when a nurse bends over to pick up something off the floor or bends over a patient's bed as a result of pressure from the legs. Also, this may cause objects in the pocket to poke through the front of the material or seamline. Another vest-type garment is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,637,075 for use by a medical technician which provides ready access to numerous articles which an EMS person may require in performing services. However, it suffers some of the deficiencies alluded to previously by having ready access but also exposure to catching on various items in the performance of activities inherent with health care service personnel. The disadvantages of the garments heretofore described are overcome in the present invention by the arrangement of the pockets and the closures used to provide ready access and avoid inadvertent contact with foreign objects causing the pockets to rip or the articles to fall out.
In the present invention, the scissor and pen pocket is designed to extend along the fold of the groin of the wearer so that bending and stooping action will not permit the articles to be pushed or fall out of the pocket. The bottom of the pocket is reinforced to prevent damage from the articles being carried therein and is hidden from the front of the garment by an additional pocket which has a smooth closure such as pile and hook or a zipper. In addition, the uniform garment provides a security attachment for retaining keys and the like such as narcotic keys in the wearer's possession to prevent loss or inadvertent misplacing of the articles. Further, the blouse is designed with an outer pocket extending across the entire front of the uniform which permits the wearer to move into close engagement with a bed or a patient without articles protruding from the pocket which would cause injury to either the wearer or the patient. In addition, the pant pockets are on the sides of the pant legs rather than being in front or behind the wearer to avoid the problem of bulky items and preventing the wearer from moving into close engagement to a patient's bed or wheelchair or patient as required in their normal activities.